2014 | Food & Wine Tour A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria 10-day tour includes • Round-trip air transportation with a major airline and airport transfers • The services of your bilingual Tour Director • A professional local guide in Florence, Siena and Perugia • 8 nights accommodations in well-located hotels, including baggage handling • Buffet breakfast daily; 3 lunches; 4 three-course dinners, including wine or beer; 3 wine tastings • Private deluxe motor coach • Personal audio headset and entrance The fresh flavor of Italy’s world-renowned cuisine warrants a trip all on its own. fees to select sites Guided Sightseeing Day 1: Flight to Italy Included meals: breakfast, dinner Day 3: Florence Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled over- Included entrances: Church of Santa Croce, Tuscan Day 6: Siena night flight to Florence aboard an internationally cooking class Day 8: Perugia recognized airline. Day 4: Free Day in Florence Featured Food Day 2: Arrival in Italy Bask in a free day to explore the Renaissance And Wine Events Welcome to Italy! A Go Ahead representative wel- City on your own. Browse the shops of the Ponte Day 2: Welcome dinner in Florence comes you at the airport and escorts you to your Vecchio or simply people-watch as you sample Day 3: Private Tuscan cooking class, hotel. The rest of the day is free for strolling along some tasty gelato. Or, opt to join an excursion to including dinner the cobbled streets and stone bridges of Flor- the walled city of Lucca and Colle Verde, a rural Day 5: Wine tasting in San Gimignano, ence or just relaxing in your hotel. This evening, farm where olive oil is pressed. Tonight, join an Local dinner in Siena become acquainted with your fellow travelers as optional dinner at a historic trattoria-style restau- Day 6: Brunello wine tasting in well as the region’s famed cuisine at this evening’s rant in the heart of Florence’s old town. Montalcino welcome dinner. Included meal: breakfast Day 7: Traditional Umbrian Dinner Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner Day 9: Wine tasting, Farewell dinner Day 5: San Gimignano and in Rome Day 3: Florence Sightseeing Tuscan Wine Tasting And Tuscan Cooking Class En route to the enchanting city of Siena, stop in Tour Highlight San Gimignano, “the city of beautiful towers.” Take Discover the timeless city of Florence, birthplace Brunello wine tasting on Day 6—Brunello of opera and the Italian language. Today’s guided in views of the scenery before continuing to a local translates to “small dark one” and is truly tour introduces you to the city’s Renaissance relics. wine tasting, where you’ll have the opportunity to one of Italy’s most special (and expensive) Marvel at Brunelleschi’s masterpiece—Florence’s sample some of the region’s fine wines. Arrive in wines. It’s a wine that ages well. In fact massive pink, white and green Duomo. Then, en- Siena for this evening’s included dinner. many need 10 years before they are ready ter the church of Santa Croce, where the tombs of Included meals: breakfast, dinner to be enjoyed. Galileo and Michelangelo and the Dante Memorial Included entrance: Tuscan wine tasting are displayed. This evening, learn to make cuisine the Italian way at a private Tuscan cooking class. Day 6: Siena and Brunello Wine Tasting Then, enjoy the freshly prepared meal with your This morning, travel through vineyards and olive fellow chefs. groves to the hilltop town of Montalcino, famous goaheadtours.com 1-800-438-7672 goaheadtours.ca TOT14 USF0413 Sample Italian vintages at the source. Delve into the rich history and unforgettable scenery of these breathtaking regions. for its Brunello di Montalcino wine. Enjoy the op- Priori, the gorgeous medieval palace dating back Post-Tour Extension portunity to taste this local treasure and an in- to 1298, and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Enjoy cluded light lunch. Follow a local guide on this a free afternoon wandering along the stately Cor- Rome afternoon’s tour of Siena, longtime rival of nearby so Vannucci, an avenue reserved for pedestrians, 2 nights Florence. Visit Siena’s Romanesque Duomo, which to visit some of the cafes and shops. You might houses major works of art by Donatello and Nicola also wish to visit the Duomo, with its elaborately Day 10: Start the day with a guided tour of Impe- Pisano, along with the famous Piccolomini Library. carved choir stalls, or the renowned Archaeologi- rial Rome, where a local guide will show you around Walk along medieval streets to the Piazza del Cam- cal Museum. Or, join an optional excursion to the Piazza Venezia, the Forum and the Colosseum. With po. Each summer, daredevils race horses bareback beautiful Assisi, a pilgrimage site and home to the the rest of the day to explore on your own, you around this main piazza during the famed Palio. church of St. Francis, and the lesser-known but might linger over a sumptuous meal at a sidewalk Included meals: breakfast, light lunch equally picturesque Spello. cafe in Piazza Navona. Included entrances: Brunello wine tasting, Siena Included meal: breakfast Included meal: breakfast Cathedral, Piccolomini Library Included entrance: Colosseum Day 9: Orvieto & Rome Day 7: Cortona and Perugia Journey across Umbrian valleys en route to Rome. Day 11: Spend another day at your leisure in Continue your travels across Tuscan landscape to Stop along the way in Orvieto, which you’ll reach Rome or take an optional tour of Vatican City, with reach Lake Trasimeno, the historic location of the via funicular, for a wine tasting followed by a light visits to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica battle between Hannibal and the Romans. After a lunch. Arrive in Rome, the Eternal City, in time for and the Sistine Chapel. Tonight, enjoy a festive lunch of Umbria specialties, transfer to the hillside this evening’s farewell dinner. evening at our optional Dinner with Tenors. town of Cortona, where there will be time to mean- Included meals: breakfast, light lunch, dinner Included meal: breakfast der through the steep, narrow streets and look for Included entrances: Funicular ride, Orvieto wine tasting the remains of the original city wall, before a visit Day 12: A Go Ahead representative accompanies to the Museum of the Etruscan Academy of Cor- Day 10: Departure you to the airport for your return flight home. tona, home to an impressive collection of Etruscan Linger in Rome for two nights on our tour exten- Included meal: breakfast artifacts. Cross from Tuscany into Umbrian and ar- sion. Otherwise, a Go Ahead representative accom- (In the case of early morning departures, breakfast rive in Perugia by nightfall. panies you to the airport for your flight home. may not be included.) Included meals: breakfast, lunch Included meal: breakfast Included entrance: Museum of the Etruscan Academy (In the case of early morning departures, breakfast Extension is available on select departure dates, may not be included.) and space is limited. Please call early to hold Day 8: Perugia sightseeing your spot. Extension also requires a minimum of A local guide introduces you to the vibrant streets 10 travelers. and landmarks of Perugia, the medieval town sym- bolized by the Etruscan Arch. See the Palazzo dei goaheadtours.com 1-800-438-7672 goaheadtours.ca Overnights Florence ITALY 3 Florence San Gimignano 2 Siena Siena 2 Perugia Cortona Perugia Montalcino 1 Rome Orvieto Rome Travel Pace: 2 Climate Travel pace levels are based on criteria such The following guide provides the average as length of tour, number of cities visited, temperatures for a sampling of the regions number of included activities, as well as on your itinerary. length of flights and land transfers. Jan 35˚–51˚F / 2˚–11˚C 1 - leisurely 3 - active Feb 37˚–54˚F / 3˚–12˚C 2 - comfortable 4 - challenging Mar 41˚–59˚F / 5˚–15˚C Apr 46˚–66˚F / 8˚–19˚C May 52˚–74˚F / 11˚–23˚C June 58˚–81˚F / 14˚–27˚C Walking on Tour July–Aug 63˚–88˚F / 17˚–31˚C This tour calls for a low-to-medium amount Sep 58˚–80˚F / 14˚–27˚C of walking. Sightseeing is primarily conduct- Oct 50˚–70˚F / 10˚–21˚C ed via bus. However, you’ll find that many of Nov 42˚–59˚F / 6˚–15˚C the cities on tour are easily explored on Dec 36˚–51˚F / 2˚–11˚C foot. Visit goaheadtours.com for: • Enhanced destination information • Featured Tour Directors • Personalized “My Account” Page • Tour planning goaheadtours.com 1-800-438-7672 goaheadtours.ca Pre-departure information for your tour Passport and Visa Requirements Cuisine Electricity In order to enter Italy, U.S. and Canadian citizens This tour is specifically designed to highlight the Italy operates on the European standard 220 volts. need a valid passport. The expiration date must celebrated cuisine of the Italian countryside. Never- extend at least six months beyond the date of your theless, the itinerary also allows for plenty of free Time Zones return home. No visa is required for U.S. or Cana- time for you to explore the Italian fare on your own. Italy is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time dian citizens. If you are not a U.S. or Canadian Be sure to try those less familiar pasta sauces and (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Standard citizen, you must contact the Italian consulate for the vast range of cured hams, cheeses, rustic Time (EST). When it is noon in New York, it’s 6 p.m. your specific entry requirements. breads and desserts. Tuscany is known for its wine, in Florence.